Label:
Rocket Recordings
Release Date:
25/02/2001

Suncoil Sect are one of those bands that seem determined to cross every musical boundary you set in their path. Right from the first track on this, their first album after a number of successful vinyl releases, they combine something undeniably funky with relaxing, ambient post-rock, pulsating drones, samples and energetic creative drumming. The track is called "We want to change society", and by rights it should have it's intended affect, on the music world at least.

To describe the album as instrumental post-rock would be missing the point. Wonderful as it can be, "post-rock" conjures up images of serious-looking men with art degrees labouring over strangely tuned guitars. Suncoil sect are something different. This is experimental in the true sense of the word, but it's also incredibly fun and relaxing to listen to. Hey, you could even dance to it, but don't let that put you off. A funky dub bass sound combines with knowingly psychedlic, unconventional yet catchy guitar riffs and drones, occasional keyboard grooves, layers of feedback and echoes, and drumming that could've been lifted from the world of hip-hop. It's a unique sound that matches their eclectic influences - DJ shadow, My bloody valentine, Sun ra and Miles davis are all quoted.

Tracks like "Suncoil" manage to weave the droney dynamics and expressive bowed sounds of world music into a tapestry drum'n'bass, post-rock and intense guitar drones. A haunting sax melody blows all over the track mixing with the cut up drones to great effect. "Red on black" could almost be intrumental hip-hop, while the final track, "Freeform energy freakout" lives up to its name, building up more layers than ever before of guitar patterns, bass, feedback, samples, waves of piano and sitar strings. It's the most lively original sound I've heard this year and deserves much attention.